**Edit (Sept 17, 2011): Seeking more Pashtun women bloggers, whether from Afghanistan or Pakistan. As long as they identify themselves as Pashtuns, they can be added to the list. Thank you for your help.**
So, as y'all know, I'm very much into women's matters. I'm also into research, so whenever I come across something that's different or controversial, I totally (mentally) jot down every idea that comes to me about that matter, especially if it concerns gender relations or Islam. Around November 2010, I read an email from this one listserv I'm on that deals with Muslim women's leadership, and the email was what I've posted here. I thought about contributing to it, but it didn't happen - super unfortunately! Khair, inshaAllah, I'll contribute something to a future collection on a similar topic. And had I contributed, it would have had to do everything with Pashtun women (since they're over 99% Muslim anyway, so it'd still fall under the Muslim women category). And ever since, I've been very observant of Pashtun females' online interactions. That call for chapters got me thinking on Pashtun women's online activities -- Pashtun women from both Afghanistan and Pakistan. While this idea is solely mine, I'm sharing it here in public only 'cause I feel like some of the information might be good for other people to know, people who're interested in research on Pashtun women.
Anyway, so what I find most fascinating about the internet is that there's space available for these Pashtun women to speak, to vent, to talk, to share, to express their inner selves in any creative way. But are they taking advantage of this medium? How many are, and what does that number mean? This is why I have been and will continue to search for Pashtun women's blogs and other websites run by Pashtun women. Their location, age, and occupation don't matter to me; all that matters is that they classify themselves as Pashtun, or be Pashtun by blood. And, yes, they can be originally from Pakistan or Afghanistan, it does not matter.
Another thing that also comes in handy is knowing or observing the interaction and relationship between Pashtun men and women in online discussion forums and social networking groups. From what I understand also, a lotta Pashtuns are turning to the internet to find their marriage partners (and this is a phenomenon all over the world, not just with Pashtuns, especially in the west). I'll explain how this works another time along with ideas for and against this form of "marriage."
For now, though, check this list out, and let me know if you've got more to add to it. I'll be happy to add anyone else.
In alphabetical order of the author's/blog's name. I'll try to add short descriptions to them later on as well.
For more information, please see Pashtuns, Social Networks, and Gender Empowerment and/or What it Means to be an Empowered Woman.
InshAllah, I'll look over these blogs. I love blogs because they are a great way to find out about different cultures.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment, Rukhpar Mor! Yeah, I love reading blogs as well. There's so much to lean from 'em!
ReplyDeleteGreat Job Khoray!
ReplyDeleteI do not know about your definition of blogger.I know a few who have presence in public space.On twitter @hafsaq,@ayeshseque @Zerkha and you can find Samar minallah @ethno media,Saadia khattak in Washington DC on Facebook.
In Solidarity,
Roheena
ReplyDelete(to a girl from Khyber Pass)
suppose in the imagination of the tribes
she was kept hidden all her life
behind four walls
still it was possible …
suppose in the imagination of the tribes
if only to claim her name
they had waged wars
still it was possible …
suppose in the imagination of the tribes
all the text praising their own imagination
if all that sacred text were burnt
still it was possible …
yes this imagination
that wraps a girl in layers of shame
has survived for centuries on the pillars
of shameless, false bravery.
but when she finally arrives in Peshawar
having broken the siege of the imagination of the elders
it seems an ancient beauty
has reached her destination of eternal dawn.
(Works by Hassan Dars,* translated from the Sindhi by Mohammad Hanif and Hassan Mujtaba.)
Salamuna! You could perhaps include pages, in that case, don't forget Zeb and Haniya page, they're amazing Pakhtoon singers from Kohat: http://www.zebandhaniya.com/
ReplyDeleteTwitter links please, G
ReplyDeleteHi, all! Thank you so much for your responses! So glad to hear from y'all!
ReplyDelete@ Anonymous: My definition of blogger is just someone who has or manages a blog, with any of the blogging site that are famous or available today. Among them are Blogger/Blogspot, Wordpress, and Tumblr. In these blogs, they create their own space, or make use of the space available to them, to write on whatever that's important to them, to vent, to share, to learn, etc. Because most of these blogging sites allow you to write as long a post as you want (as opposed to Twitter, which limits you to I believe 40 characters or something?), I'm interested in what these women talk about in this large a space. I do know Sadiya Khattak from DC! :D Thanks for mentioning her! I'd have to make another list of Pukhtun women actively involved in their communities, and, of course, Sadiya would be at the very top of the list. For that, though, there's already a website dedicated to Pukhtun women who are active in public space or who have made contributions to society: http://www.pukhtunwomen.org. The site is currently unavailable, though, but you should check back soon and look through that list. It's very inspiring!
Thanks for your feedback! :)
Thanks, Anonymous, for coming by and sharing that poem :) That was sweet!
ReplyDeleteZala, welcome! I'm adding your blog to the list, too, now! I didn't know you "existed"! Thank you for your comment and suggestion. I do have a list of pages relevant to Pashtuns on this blog. It's on the right side, under where it says "Important Links." I don't currently have Zeb and Haniya's page there, though, so that's a great addition! Thanks!
Gerald, thank you! I'll see if I can add that in addition to their blog links.
Looks like you easily become fed-up with monotony. No doubt you are a courageous girl but the new nick doesn't suit you at all for it also means "rude or disrespectful behavior" and you are not one.
ReplyDeleteHi, Anonymous!
ReplyDeleteha.ha.ha! :p I saw that's what the dictionary has its meaning set as as well, but you must know that that's actually not true. They interpreted the meaning of "you had the audacity to say that to me?!" as "you were disrespectful enough to say that to me!" when, really, it just means, "You had the gut to say that to me?" So, audacity = gut, boldness, etc.
Nonetheless, you know that I've always valued your opinion (assuming I know who you are), in which case your comment means a lot to me. So I'll change it - soon. :) I'm considering Zufash. I love, love, LOVE that name! It means "light spread over the world" or something beautiful like that. So I might do that. What do you think?
Yayyy to the list! I'm gonna be blog-surfing soon!
ReplyDeleteplease add me to Pashtun women bloggers, see my blog my blog link: http://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/7034/karachi-politics-make-space-for-the-pashtuns/#.TiFq81qS5gk.facebook
ReplyDeleteSalaam, Salma!
ReplyDeleteThank you so, so much for sharing your link! I'd forgotten to add it - this is great! :) And please share the word in case there are more. Manana, guley!
I was wondering on average how much hits are you guys getting on your sites daily?
ReplyDeletePa khair, Drana Pukhtana! Thanks for dropping by!
ReplyDeleteI get around I think 200 hits a day on average, but it depends on what I write about. (That's not a whole lot of readership, but it's valuable nonetheless!) What about you? Lemme know if you'd like me to promote your blog on mine and maybe vice versa if you're interested. All the more support to Pashtaney bloggers!